Galls are the enlargement of plant tissue caused by injury or irritation by parasitic organisms such as insects, mites, nematodes, fungi and bacteria. They are also interesting looking — knotty, lumpy and sometimes colorful. Learn which ones are common in your garden. >> read article

Most gardeners probably don’t consider using our native Eastern baccharis in a home landscape. Often seen on roadsides and clearings, this low-maintenance shrub can make a striking impression on the early to mid-autumn landscape. >> read article

Spring-blooming bulbs fill in the otherwise flowerless perennial bed with tufts of fabulous foliage and flower color. If your perennial border is boring until May, add some bulbs now — fall is the time to plant them. >> read article

If you mention the word “cornucopia,” nearly everyone envisions a pointy basket with fresh fruits and vegetables spilling from its mouth. It’s a common sight this time of the year — autumn, harvest and Thanksgiving — and we see it appearing on everything from greeting cards to decorator items for the home. >> read article

One of the showiest viburnums for the landscape is ‘Cardinal Candy’. Its bright-red fruit creates quite a show in the fall, not to be outdone by the cream-colored flowers in spring, as well as the dark-green lustrous leaves that turn maroon and linger until November. >> read article

If only all our perennials performed like blanket flower (Gaillardia). It’s one plant that’s flush with flowers, burgeoning buds and attractive globe-shaped seed heads from early summer until frost. >> read article

Stiff bluestar is an easy-to-grow, but underused, addition to the Pennsylvania garden. Native to open woodlands of the Gulf Coast region, stiff bluestar is much hardier (Zones 5 to 9) than its natural range suggests. >> read article